As ISDN begins its end, what will this mean for business voice?

Published by Chris Jacko on 09-10-2017

With the Australian ISDN drawing to a close, why should companies look to SIP as the best strategy for implementing business voice?

It might seem a long way off, but the eventual shut down of the Australian ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) will be here sooner than you think. By 2022 Telstra will discontinue supporting its ISDN products due to the supporting technologies and platforms nearing the end of their lifetime.

As the NBN continues to roll out across the country, what should businesses be doing in preparation for the switch?

What services will be switched off?

ISDN is a digital network technology that carries voice and data services over the public switched telephone network.

Telstra will cease the sale of ISDN2, ISDN2 Enhanced, ISDN10/20/30, DDS Fastway, Megalink and Frame Relay products by 30th June 2018, with a final disconnection date expected by 2022 which is when the products will no longer exist.

While businesses using these products can expect plenty of early warning leading up to the exit, the clock is definitely ticking for companies relying on ISDN to find an alternative solution.

Thankfully, a solution exists and its cheaper and more efficient than ISDN. SIP, or Session Initiated Protocol is the future of business voice.

How to make the move from ISDN to IP Voice

A SIP Trunk is the digital equivalent of a traditional phone line. A SIP Trunk needs to connect to a PBX – a device that provides the brains behind the phone system that enables multiple users to share lines. You will need to decide whether to host your PBX in the cloud or at your premises. Getting the assistance of a SIP provider will help simplify this process.